Case Of Romantic Writers Poe example essay topic

Romantic literature is such that an author writes in an attempt to convey his feelings on what the world should be like. It is unrealistic, unreasoning, and imaginative writing. William Cullen Bryant and Edgar Allen Poe are two examples of romantic writers. Though Poe fits the mold of a romantic writer it is obvious that his writings do not mirror those of Bryant or many other known romantic authors. His works share a uniqueness that is not found amongst the other writers, it is this uniqueness that separates Poe's works from the rest. Bryant's poem "Thanatopsis" is a good example of romantic literature.

This work compared to Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" will show that characteristics of Poe's work that, both, make him a romantic writer and separate him from other romantic writers. "Thanatopsis", by William Cullen Bryant, is a very romantic poem about the relationship between man and nature. Bryant's purpose for this poem is to spread his belief that at the last hours of life man is joined with the Earth and when that last hour is over man will join all those who have passed before him. From the first two lines of the poem it is obvious that this poem is romantic in nature. "To him who in the love of Nature holds - Communion with her visible forms", (470). Bryant personifies nature in this poem by referring to it as a "she".

He does this to establish a common thread between the reader and Earth. It is easier for someone, reading Bryant's work, to begin believing his ideas about nature if "Nature" is referred to as a human being. Along with Bryant's approach to the reader his description of the connection between man and nature is also very romantic. "Go forth under the open sky, and list - To Nature's teachings, while from all around - Earth and her waters, and the depths of air, - Comes a still voice-" (470). In this quote Bryant begins to speak about how Nature offers comfort, "When thoughts - Of the last bitter hour come like a blight - over they spirit. ".

(470), through a "still voice" (470), implying that Nature speaks. As the poem continues Bryant brings out more of his romantic ideas. "Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim - Thy growth, to be rolv'd to earth again. ". (471) In this quote Bryant expresses his feelings that when life is over man will return to earth and become part of it once again. "To be brother to the' insensible rock" (471) Again Bryant uses personification to maintain that connection previously established with the reader.

He is trying to make his ideas very believable, by comparing earth with the idea of a brother Bryant's message is sent, and received, with much more strength. It is obvious that Bryant's views, alone, are very romantic, this idea of oneness with the earth is a very unique approach to both life and death, however throughout the poem it is maintained that this connection is one that should change man's outlook on death. Rather than fear death, Bryant makes a strong case that, man should embrace it and be glad in it due to this apparent relationship that man has with nature. This, above all, is the most romantic aspect of this poem, Bryant's effort to make death a positive thing rather than a negative thing.

"Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night, - Scourged to his dungeon, but sustain'd and sooth'd - By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, - Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch - About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams". (471) In the story by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Tell-Tale Heart" Poe uses the characters to convey a very different message about death then Bryant. The two writers are similar in that it is consistent in their ideas that death is not the absolute end. Though Poe shares this similarity there is uniqueness about his ideas that separate him from Bryant and other romantics who chose to write about death. In the case of Bryant and others death is looked upon as something to look forward to; almost like a new beginning, for these writers this is the way that death "lives" on. Poe does not share this same positive view on death.

Through "The Tell-Tale Heart" Poe makes it evident that death "lives" on in a very negative way. In the "Tell-Tale Heart" the man in the story is said to be haunted by the eye of another. "I loved the old man... ' 'I think it was his eye! -yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture-a pale blue eye, with a film over it! Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so, by degrees- very gradually- I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever".

(727) In this quote Poe establishes the romantic nature of this story. Though very unusual, the relationship between the main character of this story and the old man is romantic. It is very unrealistic to think that one could love someone but hate a physical characteristic of that person enough to want to kill them. However, Poe makes it clear that that is the case in this story.

Another very romantic aspect of this story is the way in which Poe shows the main character going about killing the old man. The care and precision that the main character handles him self in the days prior to the killing is very thorough and detailed, taking measures not so different for person taking care of a loved one. "I moved slowly - very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man's sleep... ' 'And this I did for seven long night - every night just at midnight - but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye". (728) Poe continues to reveal the romantic nature of the relationship between that main character and the old man, but as the story continues Poe shows that it is the relationship between the main character and the eye that is the romantic focal point of the story. He does this by capitalizing the words "Evil Eye", sending a message to the reader that this man actually looks upon the old man and his eye as two separate beings.

The most romantic point in the story comes when the main character enters the room on the eighth night to find the eye opened. The way that Poe so vividly paints a picture in the readers mind describing the ray of light shining upon the eye is very romantic. It is the first time in the story that Poe shows a confrontation between the man and the eye. .".. at length, a single dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye". (729) Poe's unique idea on death comes at the end of the story. The murder has been committed and covered up, at this point in the story the main character is joined by two police officers who were called to check out a call about screams. It is at this point in the story that Poe expresses his belief that death "lives" on.

Though the old man has been murdered there is something inside the main character that does not allow the old man to rest. Poe uses the heart to show that the guilt the main character possessed was unbearable, even though the old man had only been murdered for an hour at most. "Villains! I shrieked, dissemble no more!

I admit the deed! - tear up the planks! - here, here! - it is the beating of his hideous heart!" (730) Contrary to what the main character believed Poe shows his idea that though something is dead it is not gone. From the beginning of the story Poe makes it clear that it was not the old man that haunted the main character, but his eye. The evil that lived in the eye will live on, through death, and continue to haunt the main character. This aspect of Poe's writing is what separates him from writers such as Bryant. Though, at first glance, one would not think of Edgar Allan Poe as a romantic writer a closer look would reveal many traits and similarities in his work that are shared amongst many known romantics. Poe's writings, as well as every romantic writer, are an attempt to show the world his feelings of an ideal world.

They are a look into his mind and his thoughts on the world, just the writings of William Cullen Bryant and other. With his writing Poe fits the criteria and at the same time breaks the mold of a romantic writer. When comparison to Bryant's work it becomes easier to tell the similarities in Poe's work as well as the obvious differences. Above all it becomes easier and more obvious to tell the Poe is in fact a romantic, one with a very different outlook on life.

It has been said that there are two equal and opposite sides to everything, in the case of romantic writers Poe is that equal / opposite side.